Eleven More Months
by Regularamanda
Summary: Sam's away in Atlantis and back home Jack can't fall asleep. Sam and Jack established.


_Author's Note- Another story inspired by the Sam and Jack appreciation thread over on GW. Set during Sam's time in Atlantis. Enjoy!_

**Eleven More Months**

General Jack O'Neill groaned and changed positions for the umpteenth time that night. He briefly wondered if it was going to be like this for the next year while she was gone. It had been weeks since Colonel Samantha Carter had taken her assignment in the Pegasus galaxy and he hadn't had a good night since.

How was he supposed to sleep he wondered when the woman he loved more then life itself was in a different galaxy? It had been bad enough when he was here in Washington and she had been in Colorado Springs, but now she wasn't even on _Earth. _

Jack signed once more and turned over to look at the empty side of the bed. He hadn't looked at that side of the bed in a while, it only reminded him that he was here…and she wasn't.

He'd been alone for so many years, and then finally he had someone to share his life with, his nights with, when the demons of his past would once again resurface. And now she wasn't here to calm him when he woke up from one of his many nightmares. She wasn't here to tell him that he was all right. She wasn't here to sooth his broken heart.

Jack glanced at the nightstand where two pictures stood. One was of Sara, Charlie and himself, taken a few weeks before Charlie died. It was so long ago he realized but the pain of it still hadn't dulled one iota. It never would.

Jack's gaze slowly moved to the other one and his stomach clinched. He missed her so damn much. It was a picture of Sam that he had taken at his cabin, her long blonde hair was blowing in the wind and she was smiling. A full Carter grin that was only for him. Her eyes were dancing and he clearly saw the love that was written in her eyes.

They'd taken a short vacation up to his cabin once she had been told of her transfer. It had been a blow to him, to hear that she was leaving. It really shouldn't have surprised him though, she was one of the best scientist out there and a hell of a soldier. But he hadn't expected her to be so far away, for so long. But Atlantis needed her a whole lot more then he did. And he needed her a lot.

Somedays he felt he needed her more then air. Needed her more than the Simpsons or cake. He needed to see her smile in the morning. Needed to hear her laugh. Needed to see her gorgeous blue eyes look at him and turn his insides into mush.

He might not be able to survive without water, air and food. But he couldn't _live _without her. They'd wasted so many years being a part, doing what they had to, for the good of their country, for the good of humanity. And then one day his whole life had changed. She'd agreed to go fishing. And his world had turned on its axis. They weren't 'Carter' and 'Sir' anymore, they were 'Sam' and 'Jack'. There was no more hiding their feelings. They loved each other and finally there wasn't anything standing in their way.

They weren't the perfect couple. They fought just like everyone else. But they complimented each other in a way that so few couples did. Maybe it was because for years they had grown to know the other like the back of their hand. They knew each other as well as they knew their own selves.

Jack's gaze finally moved and landed on her pillow. Jack stuck out a hand and slowly stroked it. He'd waken up to her peaceful sleeping so many times during the past two years. She was gorgeous all the time, but somehow she managed to look breathtaking when she was sleeping. Sometimes he'd just lie awake for a time and watch her sleep. It never got old. But now all he had was an empty side of a bed.

Jack picked up the pillow and buried his face in it, noticing the scent of her shampoo that still clung to it. Jack felt tears pricking the back of his eyes and he realized dryly that Samantha Carter could turn him into a pile of mush when she wasn't even in the same galaxy.

He knew that sleep was a long time coming t night, so he got out of his bed and walked over to the window. Washington seemed to be busy even at night.

The one thing he hated about this city was he couldn't see the stars. If he looked out and saw them, then he'd think of her and somehow he'd feel like she was with him. But he couldn't, not now.

He realized something else and his heart sped up. She was in a different galaxy and it was probably one of the most dangerous places to be. At least the milky way didn't have life sucking aliens. He had full confidence in her abilities but he still couldn't help worrying. The love of his life and old age seemed to do that to him.

Realizing that looking out the window wasn't going to help he went back to lay in his very empty bed.

Eleven more months he realized, just eleven more months and then she'd be safe and sound in his arms again. Eleven more months and he'd be able to whisper sweet nothings in her ear. Eleven more months and he'd be able kiss her lips. Eleven more months and he'd wake up in the morning to find her right next to him. Eleven more months and his broken heart would be healed.

Jack fell into a fitful sleep dreaming of a certain blonde haired beauty whose assignment would be complete soon. Eleven more months and the woman who claimed his heart would be home.

Love didn't feel in distances. In eleven months she'd be back and he would sleep peacefully again. For then he'd have everything he needed cradled in his arms at night, once more.

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_Author's note- Thanks for reading and let me know if you liked it!_


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